Merida is one of the largest cities in Mexico and is located at a mere 35kms from the Gulf of Mexico coast. While touring here, we came to know that this city is famous as the “White City” of Mexico. The main reason for this strange name possibly lies in the extensive use of white limestone and white paint which has been used on a large number of buildings and almost every wall here. Merida is one city, which can help a tourist to get a feel of the Colonial Mexico.

The guide who took us on a tour of this city told us that Spanish man named, Francisco de Montejo, founded the Merida, which is bustling with fashion and architecture. Prior to our visit to this exotic city, we were told that Merida, as a city has suffered a lot in terms of various conquests which were made over the city. Thus the city is characterized by a unique and contemporary society. However upon reaching the city, we were surprised to find out that the people here are extremely warm and friendly with a super low crime rate.

Some of the major attractions in this city are located near the arena of downtown area around the plaza. For a large number of people who do not speak Spanish, traveling via the public transport can be a bit of a hassle, we however chose to walk to most of the attractions which were situated at extremely close distance to each other in the area of downtown plaza. But walking to visit these attractions is not something I would personally suggest during the summer season, as Merida tends to get really hot during the afternoons in the summers.

One of the major attractions of Merida city is the Easter week. It is one of the best times to visit the city while Easter is being celebrated here with loads of enthusiasm. Easter week is popularly known as Semana Santa. The celebrations continue up to a period of two weeks, during which the natives and the tourists mix with each other in order to celebrate the spirit of Easter.

We were lucky enough to visit this Yucatan city during the Easter season. Yet another thing which we witnessed during the Easter celebrations was the gremios, which is basically a religious procession through the streets of Merida. Gremios is one event, which is marked by a lot of festivities, music, dance and pictures of religious saints being carried all over the city.

The beaches located at Merida are well marked by a large number of tourists who throng here with the large number of tourists. Though on a personal note, getting a suitable accommodation can be a bit of trouble for tourists who are out on a trip here on a limited budget. The hotels in the city of Merida are usually jam packed with bookings from tourists in advance, thus getting a suitable accommodation at the last moment can be a bit difficult.

Merida is a city, which is centrally located, and thus a practical choice for a large number of people who come to Mexico. Merida has a number of ecological wonders and other ruin sites of Mayan civilization, which continue to remain a favorite among the tourists as a must-visit place on their itinerary.

The traditional culture of this city is well represented in the social life of this city. We were surprised to see the traditional dance of Meridan culture being performed in the restaurants and shops here. Talking about the nightlife, Merida is one city, which remains abuzz with a large number of visitors in all its restaurants, and nightclubs which remain open all through the night.

Merida is characterized by its distinguished architecture, which is mainly inspired from Spanish colonial architectural designs. Most of the architecture was built during the fifteenth and sixteenth century but manages to draw inspiration and admiration from the tourists till date. A large number of buildings and monuments here are at least two centuries old, thus lending the entire city an old world charm.

Some other attraction located in Merida, which we happened to visit while on our vacation here, included the Canton Palace. Canton palace is among one of the major attractions located on the main avenue of Merida, the Paseo de Montejo. The architecture of this historical museum is exceptionally breathtaking, which was designed by an Italian architect named Enrico Deserti.

Apart from the distinguished architecture, Canton Palace is also famous for its extraordinary collection of archaeological specimens, which are considered priceless today. Most of the archaeological treasures, which are stored in the Canton Palace, belong to the pre-Columbian Mayan era.

Some other attractions located in the region include El Centenario Zoo and the famous Government Palace, which is house to a large number of interesting murals and paintings. These paintings are surely breathtaking, with their life like depiction of Pre-Hispanic and Colonial Eras. While looking at these paintings, one can almost feel as if the people depicted in the paintings are looking back at you in an eerie fashion.

Moving on to some of the other attractions in Merida, which as a tourist one can enjoy include the zone of the Markets, which deals in a large amount of exclusively regional carpets. Some of the most distinguished market zones include the Lucas de Galvez and the Portal de Granos.

Downtown Merida is immensely popular among the tourists. Tourists can savor some of the most local yet delicious cuisines which are served in the restaurants here, such as cochinita pibil and deer meat. Merida is a city, which is famous for its warm hospitality. The locals here are known for their strong traditions and cultural values.